Posts Tagged "relaxation"

In my last post, I wrote about why we like the seaside and I promised that I would explain how you can help your little ones to relax by using a visualisation of the sea. It’s very soothing, simple and effective – especially at bedtime.

Using a relaxing visualisation is like reading a bedtime story. The thing to remember is that the words you use help your child to imagine or visualise the scene. Children are very good at imagining that they are actually in the story and this is great news. By experiencing the relaxation they get even more benefit.

Just remember to be very relaxed yourself ..... take your time ..... leave lots of pauses (that's what the dots are for) and help your little one to drift off into deep slumber, knowing that they're going to enjoy wonderful dreams. Have fun ....

Seaside relaxation

Lie down ...... close your eyes ... take a deep breath in .... and as you slowly and gently breathe out ... I want you to imagine that you're at the seaside ....... one of your most favourite places ... in the whole world ...... you love the feel of the warm sand between you toes ..... the little stripy beach huts ... the seagulls and the sandcastles ..... you love to explore in the rock pools and paddle in the water....

Today though ...... you just feel like being by yourself ...... and you stand at the water's edge .... and look out to sea ...... you watch the waves as they gently lap on the shore ...... and you begin to notice ...... that the waves ...... gently lap in time with your breathing ...... your breathing is like the sea rolling in ... and ... out ......gently rolling in ...... and ...... out ...... gently rolling...... in ...... and ...... out ............in ......and ...... out ............ in and out ........... and you stand and watch the sea ............ gently rolling in ..... and ..... out ...... for a long time ....... just letting the warm water ...... trickle over your toes ............ it's very relaxing ............ just standing there on the beach ..... with the sun warming your back ...... and the gentle breeze ... blowing through your hair...... and you fell happy and relaxed.

You are feeling so happy and relaxed .... that you gentle drift .... into a lovely ..... relaxing ..... sleep ...... ready to dream about .... all your favourite things ..... things that make you feel ...... happy and relaxed .......... happy and relaxed ............ happy and relaxed ............ happy............ and ............ relaxed ....

This is a very quick relaxation and only takes a few moments to do. Take 5 minutes to teach this to your child and you are giving her a lifelong strategy to use when faced with a stressful or scary situation.

Step 1 Ask her to lie down, close her eyes and make herself comfortable.

Step 2 Ask her to think of a special place that makes her feel happy and relaxed. Give her a couple of moments to find the memory. It could be an actual place you have visited, or she can create it in her mind. Usually kids recall a favourite holiday destination.

Step 3 Encourage her to really connect with this place with all of her senses:

* see everything,

* hear everything,

* smell, taste everything

* and feel a wonderful sense of calm and relaxation.

Step 4 Ask her to think of a word to sum up this place.

Step5 Suggest to her that whenever she thinks of that word in the future, she will feel happy and relaxed.

Step 6 Ask her to open her eyes and bring all the lovely relaxed feeling back with her.

Have a discussion later with her about the different times that she might find it useful to use her magic word. Remind her of her magic word in the future when she is facing a stressful situation.